Pitersen and M Clarck was fantastic in this Rain interrupted match. But the hero was Rain after all. England retained the Ashes after rain meant the third Test against Australia at Old Trafford ended in a draw on Monday.

Only 20.3 overs were possible on the fifth and final day, but that was still long enough for England to collapse to 37 for three, having been set 332 to win after Australia declared on their overnight 172 for seven. But England, 2-0 up in the five-match series after wins by 14 runs and 347 runs at Trent Bridge and Lord`s respectively, only had to draw this match to be sure of retaining the Ashes.
And they had the result they required when the match was abandoned as a draw at 4.39pm local time.

Australia would have fancied their chances of taking the remaining seven wickets in the final two sessions had the rain not intervened.

Play was eventually called off at 1539 GMT to the cheers of a smattering of hardy fans still left inside the Manchester ground, who later greeted the celebrating England players on the team balcony.

The teams next face each other at Chester-le-Street in Durham from Friday for the fourth Test which will be a slight anti-climax after the literal damp-squib finish at Old Trafford.

England will still want to win the Ashes outright for the third straight time while Australia will at least look to make it 2-2 and head home with some confidence for the next series between the two starting in November.